Search results for ""Author Ben Simmons""

Take a photographic journey through the modern marvels and historical treasures of Tokyo with this informative, portable Japan travel guide. In The Little Book of Tokyo, veteran photojournalist Ben Simmons continues a quest he began over two decades ago to seek out and share his creative viewpoint and insider's perspective. Small enough to carry while traveling in Japan, this book is an ideal travel companion for a Tokyo experience, whether you're planning a trip, already on your way, or merely dream of going. A series of 50 informative mini essays are organized into four chapters: Tokyo's Edo Legacy Tokyo Towns City Perspectives Spirit of Tokyo The Little Book of Tokyo is the perfect introduction to this enchanting, ultra-modern megacity and provides an immersive take on Tokyo combining Japanese history, photography and cultural commentary. It weaves a tapestry of the city's many unique idiosyncrasies, offering strategies for exploring the High City to the Low City, Tokyo Bay to the top of Tokyo Skytree, and the most critical places and happenings in between, including architecture, festivals, and landmarks. It also beautifully captures the many inhabitants of Tokyo, painting a rich and multi-faceted picture of this capital city.

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The Little Book of Kyoto is a celebratory visual guide to one of the world's truly unique cities. Kyoto was Japan's imperial capital for one thousand years, as well as its cultural birthplace. A companion to the best-selling The Little Book of Japan, this captivating volume weaves words and images to form a rich tapestry of the fantastic sights of Kyoto, including dozens of World Heritage Sites, Zen gardens, temples, shrines, shopping areas, festivals, and food. A series of forty-eight highlights, organized into four chapters, cover Kyoto's imperial legacy, culture and customs, Zen heritage, top attractions, and its essential spirit. Veteran photojournalist Ben Simmons continues a journey of discovery begun over twenty-five years ago, seeking fresh insights and an immersive take on this endlessly compelling city. Explore its history, art, cultural commentary, and Japanese travel tips. Small enough to carry anywhere, this book is the perfect guide to accompany travelers on their trip to Kyoto—whether visiting for the first time or simply taking a more in-depth look beneath the surface of this ancient capital.

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The Little Book of Kyoto is a celebratory visual guide to one of the world's truly unique cities. Kyoto was Japan's imperial capital for one thousand years, as well as its cultural birthplace. A companion to the best-selling The Little Book of Japan, this captivating volume weaves words and images to form a rich tapestry of the fantastic sights of Kyoto, including dozens of World Heritage Sites, Zen gardens, temples, shrines, shopping areas, festivals, and food. A series of forty-eight highlights, organized into four chapters, cover Kyoto's imperial legacy, culture and customs, Zen heritage, top attractions, and its essential spirit. Veteran photojournalist Ben Simmons continues a journey of discovery begun over twenty-five years ago, seeking fresh insights and an immersive take on this endlessly compelling city. Explore its history, art, cultural commentary, and Japanese travel tips. Small enough to carry anywhere, this book is the perfect guide to accompany travelers on their trip to Kyoto—whether visiting for the first time or simply taking a more in-depth look beneath the surface of this ancient capital.

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Machiya, or townhouses, are traditional wooden dwellings in Kyoto that evoke the elegance and culture of Japan's old capital with their architectural details, beautiful gardens, and intimate rooms. Many have been converted into restaurants to create unforgettable dining experiences. Enjoying healthy food in a historic, traditional Kyoto environment is a rare pleasure. Here are some 130 restaurant listings (food, decor, hours, addresses, prices, maps, and index) and a photographic guide to machiya architecture, culture, and aesthetics. Judith Clancy has lived in Japan since 1970 and is the author of Exploring Kyoto. Ben Simmons is a Japan-based photographer.

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This photographic Tokyo travel guide explores the dynamic Japanese culture, art and architecture that make Tokyo a unique, world-class city.It has been said that "every city has its high points, but Tokyo is all exclamation points!" The largest and most populous city in the world, Tokyo is best experienced in-person. The next best way? Through Tokyo Megacity—a visual and descriptive exploration of a city that combines old with new and traditional with trendy, like no other city in the world.This extraordinary book explores Tokyo through more than 250 revealing photographs by well-known photographer Ben Simmons and over 30 essays by famed author Donald Richie. Their love of the city, sense of its history, and the deep respect and pure joy felt in being here, shine through on every page. Simmons and Richie show us how modern Tokyo evolved from a patchwork of villages that still exist today as distinct neighborhoods and districts to the modern, trendsetting metropolis renowned the world over—that combine to make Tokyo a unique and special place.Tokyo Megacity presents the districts of the city in the order that they originally developed, starting with the Imperial Palace, sliding down to the "Low City" along the Sumida River, soaring back up to the "Mid-City," and finally, climbing the hills to the newer districts of the "High City." The combination of Ben Simmons' photographs and Donald Richie's text capture the tremendous diversity, vitality and sheer livability of Tokyo.This new edition is updated with recent photos, up-to-date revisions and new sections on the Tsukiji Fish Market and Tokyo Skytree.

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This travel pictorial and Japan travel guide captures the sites and soul of Kyoto—Japan's historical and spiritual center.An elaborate kaleidoscope of craft, artistry and religion, Kyoto is one of the world's most popular travel destinations. Art and design form the weft and warp of this vibrant 1,200-year-old city, home to hundreds of gardens, palaces, villas and magnificent wooden temples, including seventeen UNESCO World Heritage sites.Like a Zen koan, Kyoto defies easy description. Its citizens may work at Nintendo designing video games, at a company designing precision medical instruments, or sitting cross-legged meticulously affixing micro-thin flakes of gold foil onto a painting. All of them share a living heritage grounded in centuries of traditional culture.In Kyoto: City of Zen, local Kyoto expert Judith Clancy presents the most important gardens, temples, shrines and palaces of this ancient capital city and enduring cultural center. In addition to unveiling the city's spiritual and historical riches, this travel book shares with readers the exquisite foods, artistic crafts, religious ceremonies and architectural traditions that have flourished in Kyoto for over a millennium. Tea ceremonies, calligraphy, weaving, pottery, painting, drama, and many more traditional arts and crafts are presented through more than 350 photographs by Ben Simmons, whose images capture the true essence of Kyoto. The city's natural setting also comes into focus as you walk along leafy mountain paths and through spectacular parks and gardens viewing the best foliage each season has to offer.

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Whether you are interested in this unique city's history or are planning to travel to Kyoto, Kyoto City of Zen will serve as inspiration and provide invaluable insight into Kyoto's culture.This travel pictorial and Japan travel guide captures the sites and soul of Kyoto—Japan's historical and spiritual center. An elaborate kaleidoscope of craft, artistry and religion, Kyoto is one of the world's most popular travel destinations. Art and design form the weft and warp of this vibrant 1,200-year-old city, home to hundreds of gardens, palaces, villas and magnificent wooden temples—including seventeen UNESCO World Heritage sites.Like a Zen koan, Kyoto defies easy description. Its citizens may work at Nintendo designing video games, at a company designing precision medical instruments, or sitting cross-legged meticulously affixing micro-thin flakes of gold foil onto a painting. All of them share a living heritage grounded in centuries of traditional culture.In Kyoto City of Zen, local expert Judith Clancy presents the most important gardens, temples, shrines and palaces of this ancient capital city and enduring cultural center. In addition to unveiling the city's spiritual and historical riches, this travel book shares with readers the exquisite foods, artistic crafts, religious ceremonies and architectural traditions that have flourished in Kyoto for over a millennium. Tea ceremonies, calligraphy, weaving, pottery, painting, drama, and many more traditional arts and crafts are presented through more than 350 photographs by Ben Simmons—whose images capture the true essence of Kyoto. The city's natural setting also comes into focus as the book guides you along leafy mountain paths and through spectacular parks and gardens—highlighting the best foliage each season has to offer.

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Thick thatched roofs and rough mud plaster walls. An intricately carved wood transom and a precisely woven tatami mat—each element of traditional Japanese architecture tells a story.In Japanese Architecture, author Mira Locher explores how each of these stories encompasses the particular development, construction, function and symbolism inherent in historic architectural elements. From roofs, walls and floors to door pulls and kettle hangers, Japanese Architecture situates these elements firmly within the natural environment and traditional Japanese culture.Japanese architecture developed with influences from abroad and particular socio-political situations at home. The resulting forms and construction materials—soaring roofs with long eaves, heavy timber structures of stout columns supporting thick beams, mud plaster walls flecked with straw and sand and the refined paper-covered lattice shoji screen—are recognizable as being of distinctly Japanese design. These constructed forms, designed with strong connections to the surrounding environment, utilize natural construction materials in ways that are both practical and inventive. This fascinating architecture book provides a comprehensive perspective of traditional Japanese architecture, relating the historical development and context of buildings and the Japanese garden while examining the stories of the individual architectural elements, from foundation to roof.

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